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DE RUEHSN #0033 0252359
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R 252359Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0257
INFO WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN SALVADOR 000033 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/01/25 
TAGS: PREL HA ES
SUBJECT: TFHA01 EL SALVADOR: PUSHING BACK ON MISGUIDED HAITI COMMENTS 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Robert I. Blau, Charge d' Affaires, Department of 
State, Executive Office; REASON: 1.4(B), (D) 
 
¶1.       (U) On Saturday, January 23, the leftist FMLN party held a 
rally in honor of one of their founders, Shafik Handal, at which 
Central American Parliament member Nidia Diaz criticized American 
bases in Latin America, the militarization of U.S. assistance to 
Haiti, and what she described as a more generalized U.S.-based plot 
to undo leftist gains in the region, as evidenced by the electoral 
victory of PiC1era in Chile. 
 
¶2.       (U) On-line daily "El Faro" contacted Embassy Information 
Officer Alberto Rodriguez over the weekend to obtain a USG 
reaction; IO corrected the record on Haiti, emphasizing that the 
USG presence was welcomed by the Haitian government and people, and 
that the missions were all humanitarian and necessary.  Regarding 
basing, the IO pointed out that the Cooperative Security Location 
at Comalapa Airport operates pursuant to a bilateral agreement, 
which satisfies both countries' interest in combating narcotics 
trafficking.  El Faro ran the IO's comments on Monday, January 25. 
 
¶3.       (U) Taking advantage of a ceremony to donate 
Merida-Initiative equipment to the Salvadoran Police on Monday, 
January 25, ChargC) d'Affaires responded to media questions on these 
same subjects, and once again corrected the record, making 
essentially the same points as IO did with "El Faro."  ChargC) 
emphasized that the U.S. military, working with civilian agencies, 
the Haitian government, MINUSTAH, and other countries' 
representatives were saving lives, much as they did in the wake of 
mudslides and flooding caused by Tropical Storm Ida here in El 
Salvador in November.  ChargC) also called Foreign Minister Hugo 
Martinez, who said that he had himself publicly clarified today 
(Monday, January 25) that Nidia Diaz's statements did not in any 
way reflect the position of the GOES, and that the U.S. effort 
responded to a natural disaster of enormous proportions. 
 
¶4.       (C) Comment:  Haiti provides yet another context for the 
hard-line part of the FMLN to show its hostility to the USG, and at 
the same time embarrass the Funes government, which always responds 
by emphasizing that the FMLN does not speak for the GOES on foreign 
policy matters.  Nidia Diaz, a former guerrilla commander, is one 
of the most radical FMLN members, but at her side were other key 
party leaders, such as FMLN Coordinator Medardo Gonzalez, 
Legislative Assembly Vice President Sigfrido Reyes, and 
Vice-President Salvador Sanchez-Ceren.  Unfortunately, it is the 
hard-liners that dominate the party leadership, while more moderate 
members, such as the foreign minister, are caught between the 
competing forces of party discipline and loyalty to President 
Funes. 
BLAU